Parallel Lines
by twentyzero
Summary: Agent AU! Haru's always been prodigy of an agent, despite being a Famous for being the top agent at the organization, he completes his solo missions with the upmost proficiency - until his higher-ups decide to make him a member of the new elite operations Now the only problem is to get them out on the field as a functioning Full description
1. One

_Disclaimer: Cover picture isn't mine, Free! Iwatobi Swim Club belongs to KyoAni_

For the secret agent au prompt on dreamwidth:

Haru's always been prodigy of an agent, despite being a lone-wolf. Famous for being the top agent at the organization, he completes his solo missions with the upmost proficiency - until his higher-ups decide to make him a member of the new elite special operations squad. Enters (squad leader) Makoto, (mission director), Gou, (team-mate transferred from the Australian branch) Rin, (combat arms specialist and technician), Rei, and (sniper) Nagisa.

According to their profiles and stats, this team should have a 100% success rate... now the only problem is to get out on the field as a functioning team. With Haru's refusal to co-operate and Rin's insistent competitiveness with Haru being only two of the many problems they have, it's going to take a lot of effort.

_Pairings undetermined, but will most likely be Rin/Haru or Mako/Haru, with Reigisa on the side. I'm hoping for Seijuurou/Gou, but I don't know yet_. _Ratings may change later._

* * *

**Chapter One: Agent 00**

Blowing onto his gloved fingers, Haruka watches as the wind quickly sweeps away the cloud of white mist, before standing up from his crouched position. He stands completely still on the windy rooftop of the skyscraper; his eyes scan the neon cityscape in front of him, carefully taking everything in. The communicator earpiece beeped once, as a voice transmitted through the device; "–ent Agent 00, this is United Cooperative speaking, do you copy? Repeat, do you copy?"

One hand reaching up to the earpiece and another towards his belt, he steps forward towards the edge; "Agent 00, copy. Permission to advance."

"Agent 00, granted," the voice replies and the earpiece beeps off – meanwhile, Haruka's already swung himself to the neighbouring building, a grappling hook caught on the ledge, feet braced against the wall of the fifty-storied glass building.

Running his hands along the smooth glass, he feels for loose area. Below him, the buzz of city life continues, civilians completely ignorant of his presence. They were too caught up with their own lives to pay any attention to him. Quietly and efficiently, he slides a blade out from his left sleeve and jams it under the steel frame of the glass; with gentle prying, the frame easily comes loose. With one gloved hand pushing the glass out of the way, he swings into the building and retracts the grappling hook.

The entire floor's empty – dark and silent, the only clearly visible thing being an eerie red exit sign hanging above a door. Probably the stairwell, Haruka notes. He heads towards it, boots padding silently across the carpeted floor.

_"Objective: Retrieve the UNSC folder."_

_"What a pain…"_ Haruka frowned.

He wanted to get this over with quickly so that he'd have more time to spend in the pool at the base. Just thinking about it made him smile a bit. That was the only reason why he had joined this organization in the first place. It'd be nice if he could finish this mission quickly, then he could go swimming until another mission comes up. Yeah… that'd be lovely.

He continues down the cement stairs until he reaches a door with a large 22 sign on it. A small sliver of soft light crept out from the thin crack underneath the door. Turning his attention back to the scenario at hand, he draws the katana seethed across his back with his right hand.

Without a second thought, Haruka pushes the door open and immediately slams his elbow into the face of an unsuspecting guard leaning just right of the door who falls unceremoniously to the floor without uttering a sound. Teeth fly out, and small specks of blood dirty the once pristine white floor of the hallway. The antenna of the guard's walkie-talkie snaps under his heel as he silently moves on.

Slanted, blue eyes dart left and right as he starts to sprint down the bright, heavily air-conditioned hallway. _"The folder is assumed to be located in Room 2240."_

2219, 2220, 2221… Another blow to a second guard with the hilt of his katana.

2226, 2227… he turned a corner, leaping up and slicing a video camera in half before continuing.

2233, 2234, 2235, 2236, 2237… his breath hitches at the sight of five guards just outside of Room 2240, all armed

Alert, he doesn't blink as he instinctively topples towards the ground, break-falling successfully and avoiding the rain of bullets flying towards his skull just a moment ago. And that's all it takes to get the adrenaline rushing.

Still on the ground, Haruka swipes his leg behind the ankles on one guard, while flipping himself back into standing position with his hands. Spinning around, he kicks the gun out of a second guard's hand, katana already slicing the throat of a third. Expertly, he leans to one side and avoids another onslaught of bullets. He grabs the now un-armed guard, snapping his neck in one jerky motion.

The unconscious guard he had previously tripped is tugged up and used as a human shield; allowing him to advance straight towards the slowly backing fourth and fifth guards who had continued to relentlessly shoot at him. Without looking away, he flexes his fingers ever so slightly before clicking the blade attached to his left wrist and flinging it towards the face of one of the remaining guards. The last one doesn't even see him coming as Haruka tosses the corpse aside and plunges his katana into his chest.

Having settled his breathing from the brief encounter, Haruka retrieves the blade he previously threw, returning it to its seethe under his sleeve. _That was annoying,_ he frowns to himself as he rubs at a fresh bloodstain on his sleeve, before straightening up and proceeding to Room 2240.

Before he heads inside, he glances backwards. No more guards, no video cameras, no witnesses, no people aside from the ones lying on the floor. He's a little relieved to see that Room 2240 is clear of life as well, and closes the door behind him.

Gloved hands flip through the stacked folders on the desk while keeping one eye on the door, just in case. Mistakes weren't something he could afford on the field. Experience had taught him to never underestimate his surroundings, especially when he was on enemy territory. To get distracted would mean certain death, and death meant that he wouldn't be able to swim in water anymore. Water would be really nice right now. Finally locating a black folder with a gold UNSC logo printed on top, he reaches for his earpiece.

"This is Agent 00, Nanase Haruka." He headed towards a window and pushed it open.

"Agent 00, this is United Cooperative." The nightlife of the city was still busy, though a slightly less active as it was before. Colourful lights danced across Haruka's eyes as he glanced downwards.

"Mission objective acquired, requesting transport and cleanup." The katana was returned to its seethe before he hopped out of the window, allowing himself to free-fall for a brief couple of seconds.

"Requests… approved. Agent 00 Please head towards the north evacuation block." With a beep, the blue light of his earpiece flashes off.

His grappling hook shoots out as he swings to an adjacent building landing on its rooftop, the UNSC folder tucked neatly under his arm.

"Understood."

The earpiece beeped off, and he continued moving through the night.

* * *

_"It's cold."_ he thinks as cold puffs of air come out of his mouth. Black hair whipped around his face as he tilted his chin towards the descending helicopter. A familiar hand reaches out to him, as the latter helps hoist him onto the chopper. As he watches them move further and further away from the city, a warm scarf is tossed around his neck and seat belts click together on his chest.

"This is Agent 02, reporting in. Agent 00 has been retrieved. Estimated time for arrival: 23:04." Makoto spoke into his earpiece while adjusting Haru's seat belt straps.

The green light on his earpiece flashed off after he finished talking. Ah- Haru-chan, how'd it go? You're going to catch a cold if you don't wear enough you know…"

"Drop the –chan." he replied curtly.

Averting his gaze away from the disappearing city, he turned his attention to Makoto, who was sitting beside him, green eyes meeting blue. Letting a tense breath of air out that he hadn't known he'd been holding, he let his friend finish wrapping the scarf around his neck. Makoto was always there to pick him up after missions, no matter what time of day it was. Of course, he had his own missions to complete, but with some method unfathomable to Haruka, Makoto always managed to convince the mission directors to give him time to pick up Haruka.

_"Oh right, the folder."_ He hands the retrieved folder over to Makoto.

"Another solo mission completed… and under twenty minutes too! As expected as someone who holds the top ranking. I asked them to keep the pool unlocked tonight because I knew you'd probably want to go swimming after your mission. You, I heard that new members are being transferred from the Australian branch…"

Makoto's voice drained into the background out as Haru's eyes slowly drifted upwards. The night sky was clearer here, and he could finally start to see stars again, now that they were traveling away from the light pollution. "_If only there was an ocean here."_ It'd been a while since he'd visited his hometown. Both he and Makoto had come from the small seaside town Iwatobi. His grandmother's house faced the ocean, halfway up the steps to the shrine. Those days were nice, but a lot had changed since then. Before he dies, he'd like to go home at least one more time, and swim the starry ocean again, he decided. Some _fresh_ mackerel would be nice too for a change, instead of the usual frozen stuff they had back at headquarters. Salted mackerel after swimming later would be nice, later.

"Haru! Haru?" Makoto's concerned face appears in front of his own, snapping him back to reality, "You aren't injured are you?"

Gentle fingers brush against his cheek. Haruka frowns, "I'm fine."

"That's good to hear, Haru-chan. I asked them to keep to the pool unlocked tonight because I knew that'd you'd be coming back late." Makoto smiled warmly, pausing briefly before continuing, "You're thinking salted mackerel after swimming, right?"

Haruka pouts a little as Makoto laughs lightly. At least some things didn't change.

* * *

**In the next chapter:**

"Welcome to the main branch of the United Cooperatives, Agent 01 Matsuoka Rin, Mission Director Matsuoka Gou."

Rin's sharp teeth glinted, reflecting the few lights along the plane runway flashing. "_Finally I get to meet you, Agent 00_, _let's see what you've got._"

* * *

_Author's Note:_

Sorry, I spent this chapter trying to get into the feel of writing an action story than anything… Eh this is my first fanfic, so tell me how it goes? Sorry if it seems choppy :( The story's going to pick up pace after this chapter, since this was more of an intro than anything. Since it's an AU, I've changed some things, but I get to that in later chapters. How the agent system works is that the higher ranked the agent, the lower their number is.

I don't know which pairing I'm going to focus on yet. I have a general idea for the next upcoming chapters, but any suggestions would be super appreciated! Um, I guess that's all for now? I'm away camping until Tuesday, so I'm sorry that I won't be able to update… Any suggestions would be super appreciated!

Please excuse me because I make a hell lot of typos. Review?

Bye bye~


	2. Two

This shit's unbeta'd, and it never will be beta'd.

* * *

**Chapter Two: Welcome to the Main Branch**

Rin wakes up to the bouncing of the plane's wheels against the paved landing pad. The stuffy air of the plane is stifling. Popping his ears, his tries to stretch out in front of him, in an attempt to relieve his sore limbs from the fifteen-hour flight. He pauses when he feels Gou's head slide down his arm.

His little sister, Gou, stirs slightly, one soft cheek still pressed into his shoulder. A patch of saliva soaks the area, and her long, raspberry ponytail flung all over the side of Rin's face – not that he minds, of course. He hasn't seen her face this peaceful in months. Sleep was something that their work didn't allow much of, so it was always better to get some while they could. For the past five months, Gou had spent extra nights staying up, trying to organize everything for their transfer to the main branch of their work. Being in charge of assembling a new team of elite agents was no easy task – he got a headache just from looking at the piles of paperwork she was constantly filing through. Nudging her back up a bit, he adjusts her into a more comfortable position.

On her lap, a stack of thin, coloured folders slide forwards precariously in her loosened grip. He vaguely remembers her complaining about how difficult it had been to gain access to all of the agent profiles, and how frustrating it had been waiting for hem to be delivered. Gou had slapped his hand away when he had tried to sneak a peek at his own profile, the one he could now identify as the bright red one at the bottom of the pile.

Reaching out quickly with his spare hand, he reflexively catches a light blue one before it falls to the ground. Outside, it's nighttime, but the dim lights from the walkway within the plane are enough for him to make out the words printed on the front of cover in capital letters: "Classified: Agent 00."

A slight rush of excitement causes his breath to hitch slightly. Gou never told him that _the _Agent 00 was going to be working with them. All those years of holding the next-best title in the damned organization, without knowing whom it was that he just couldn't out-rank. No matter how hard he trained, regardless of how many missions he successfully completed, Matsuoka Rin continuously held the place of Agent 01, never good enough to take the title of Agent 00.

An absolute prodigy, the rumors had told him. Rin's shark teeth grinded angrily at the thought. Agent 00 had risen to the top of the rankings in the short amount of time since he had joined. There was no way, in a billion years that he should be better than Rin, who trained his ass off on a daily basis. Temptation rushes to the tips of his fingertips as they wander to the edge of the classified folder, but the moment he is about to pry the folder open though, he feels Gou stir sluggishly beside him and halts. "Ah… it looks like we've finally arrived." Gou murmurs as she rubs the sleep out of her eyes.

"It's about time," Rin replies casually, tossing the folder back onto her lap on top of the others and standing up to stretch.

"Eh- Hey! You weren't peeking, were you?" fumbling, she gathers the folders up in her arms.

"I wouldn't." he tousles her hair reassuringly before he starts walking down the aisle, Gou following shortly after she's made sure that she's grabbed everything.

Outside, the dark October night is refreshing compared to the inside of the small airplane. It's almost morning, but the sun hasn't risen yet. His nose twitched, detecting the light scent of ocean salt in the air. It's colder here than it was in Australia. Australia wasn't his hometown anyways. The small seaside town of his childhood had been destroyed along with the rest of the nation while his mum had taken him and Gou to visit their uncle in Australia. His father was supposed to join them, but was held up because of work. He had been an agent for United Cooperative too, but his body was never found. Only a few people had been in the stacks of rubble. Rin still wakes up in cold sweat, images of his father being blown to bits replaying over and over again in his head.

Stepping off of the plane, a determined, almost mousy looking boy with a neat bowl cut stumbles towards them, fumbling their luggage a bit before awkwardly dropping them at their feet. They've only each gotten a duffle bag worth of stuff, seeing as the cooperative usually provide them with clothing and daily utensils. The only things he had bothered to bring were of personal value or use. "Welcome to the main branch of the United Cooperatives, Agent 01 Matsuoka Rin, Mission Director 09 Matsuoka Gou. My-"

"It's Kou. Kou, not Gou."

The boy pauses, a confused and hesitant look on his face, before continuing. "Mission Director 09 Kou. I am Agent 89, Aiichiro Nitori. I'll be around to assist you two for the next couple of days. It really is a pleasure to meet someone who's one of the top agents," he pauses, glancing in Rin's direction. "Now if you two will just follow me this way…"

Nitori continues to chatter, words entering through one ear and out the other. He leads them towards the flat, cylindrical building that loomed ahead. It wasn't supposed to be anything impressive, seeing that a majority of the space actually used was supposed to be underground. Most "secret" bases were supposed to be built like that – solemn, durable and with a hint of intimidation. However, the only thing he felt was the anticipation that crept up his spine, knowing that Agent 00 would be in this building.

Rin's sharp teeth glinted in meager, flashing lights of the plane runway. "_Finally, Agent 00_, _let's see what you've got._"

* * *

Nitori's tour had been an hour long, mainly guiding them around the bright, pristine hallways of the base. He showed them around the training facilities, the offices, the weapon storage, the vehicle boarding area. At the end of the tour, he lead them to the northern wing of the above ground section of the base. "These rooms haven't been used in years, but they've been recently cleaned out for your team per request, Director Kou."

As the stainless steel door automatically slides open, a white room with high ceilings is revealed. The only furniture in site is a black table in the center of the room with six equally plain chairs surrounding it. Crude metal stairs on the side of the room lead up to an indoor balcony that circles three of the four walls. Nitori motions to various doors both around the balcony and on the ground floor, explaining that each one leads to identical bedrooms. Rin drops his duffle bag in the far-left bedroom on the ground floor, while Gou claims the one directly across from the entrance. A small open kitchen was in one corner of the white room, adding a hint of a domestic touch.

"… and if there's anything that you need, I'll be stopping by again tomorrow morning. You're the first ones to arrive, but the other agents should be arriving sooner or later."

Rin and Gou thanked him, before Nitori stepped out, smiling at Rin as the door sliding shut with a slight thump.

The yellow light of dawn is breaking through when Rin steps out of the shower. He grabs a clean T-shirt and a pair of pants, both the default black provided by the cooperative. Droplets of water drip down his back as he heads back out into the main room. _"Fuck it,"_ he thought after searching around for a towel to no success.

Gou's sitting at the table, laughing along with an animated short blond boy with large doe-like eyes. His accomplice is taller, with narrow features wearing an almost embarrassed expression as the other two laugh. A pair of red-framed glasses rests on the bridge of his nose.

They were both dressed in casual black clothe similar to the ones Rin was wearing, and no doubt provided by the cooperative as well. "Onii-chan!" Gou beckons for him to come closer when she notices him. "This is Agent 12 Hazuki Nagisa" she nods towards the blond boy, "and Specialist 09 Ryugazaki Rei" pointing her at the other. "They've both been selected to work with us from now on."

Rin tries not to frown. Agent 12? It was unlike Gou to select someone who wasn't even in the top ten agents. Afterall, the superiors had given her permission to pick any of the members in the United Cooperative. _"Where was Agent 00?"_ Impatience swirls in his chest.

Meanwhile, he was trying to process why Gou had chosen to add a specialist to the group. He didn't care much for specialists – all they ever did was provide new weapons and made sure that they worked (not that they broke down much anyways). In his opinions, it was weird how specialists even _had_ rankings. On the other hand, nine was the highest ranking for a specialist he had ever met though. "I'm Agent 01, Matsuoka Rin." He introduces himself quickly.

"Wow! Rin-chan's Agent 01? That's really impressive that you're related to one of the top six, Director Gou!" Nagisa says.

Rin visibly cringes at the nickname. "It's either Matsuoka or just Rin." He growls at Nagisa.

"And that's also Director _Kou_ to you." Gou snaps right after.

Nagisa just laughs it off. "Whatever you say, Rin-chan, Gou."

"Nagisa, don't be rude." Rei reprimands his shorter companion, "Oh and before I forget."

Rei reaches down into his duffle bag, producing small black cardboard boxes, labeled with their names. He hands one to each person, leaving the two on the table. "These are the earpieces that they use at the main branch. I've adjusted them beautifully for our team, well, at least with the information I could gather about each individual."

"You mean you aren't from here?" Rin asks.

"Nope! We were originally set to work at the Japanese branch, but we were switched to the Italian branch after the incident. You know, the one that happened eight years ago?" Nagisa pauses "This is our first time at the main branch too."

Rin raised an eyebrow at this. He knew exactly which incident he was talking about. His father had worked at the Northern Japanese branch before the incident too. He shook his head, trying to clear away any dismal thoughts, Rin pries the box open with his thumb to reveal a small sleek black stick. As soon as he touches it, the tiny touch screen, the digits "01" are lighted up red. Nagisa's is similar, the only difference being the number 12 lighted up pink. Gou and Rei's are based off the same design, though white. Rin picks it out of its box plugging it in his ear for a try. It fits on his right ear perfectly. Back at the Australian branch, they used much bigger headpieces instead that often were too tight or slid off. So being at the main branch really did have its perks. "Rei-chan finally did something right." Nagisa says, examining his own earpiece.

"Wh-What does that mean?" Rei bites back in response, flustered.

"You know exactly what I mean, Rei-chan." Nagisa shoots him a sly look.

Before anybody can say anything else, the steel door slides open with a soft thump. The two people who stand by the doorframe are dressed in heavy black uniforms worn only for missions, the only colour in their outfits being the green scarf of the taller boy, and a blue scarf wrapped tightly around the neck of the latter. They're both dirty and have slight bags under their eyes.

"Sorry to intrude," the tall boy with mellow green eyes says "Nitori told me that we were supposed to come here? I'm Agent 03, Tachibana Makoto and this is Agent 00, Nanase Haruka."

_"Agent 00, Nanase Haruka."_ The words seem to echo.

Rin feels his eyes flit all over the boy standing in front of Makoto. The obsidian dark hair against porcelain skin, the striking eyes that reflected intelligence and emotions as deep as the sea. _The sea. Just like the sea._ Rin can't open up his mouth to say anything. His jaw is tight, because there's a whole range of emotions rushing through him at a hundred kilometers a second. For a moment, he forgets his one-sided rivalry with Agent 00. There's still the urge to go right over and challenge him – after all, that's what he's been waiting for. But the worst part is that there's a sense of _familiarity_ pounding at the back of his brain.

Makoto's face is familiar too, Rin thinks. Green eyes that are filled with understanding paired with tanned olive skin. But Agent 00 Nanase Haruka though – there was only one person with that lithe frame, specifically the frame of a swimmer. As his eyes travel between the two, Rin's thoughts spin faster and faster, and his head starts to ache.

_"I only swim free."_

_"I'm afraid of the ocean."_

_"Rin."_

_"…Thanks, Matsuoka."_

_"No – I'm not talking about Nanase. I'm talking about you, Tachibana."_

_"Swim medley with me!"_

_"I swim best free for the team."_

Rin is speechless. The competitiveness he had been building up seemed to vanish down the drain. _He knows these two._ They lived in the same seaside town as him. _Iwatobi._ Hell, they even went to swim club together. He knows them, he knows Tachibana Makoto and Nanase Haruka. He feels himself moving forward, just slightly. This was impossible. After what happened to Iwatobi, after what happened to Japan, after what happened to his father. His insides contract with horror and anxiety. His lips are moving before he can stop himself. His voice comes out barely as a whisper.

"Haru…?"

* * *

**In the next chapter:**

"Don't leave."

* * *

_Author's Note:_

I'm going to apologize in advance, because that was a hella long chapter and I didn't mean for it to be that long, so because school is starting soon, the chapters are going to be cut down to about half the length that they are (they're around +2000 words right now). Also, the preview was shitty. I'm so sorry that it's moving so slowly, but that's how I write :( I'm working on it! So far people seem to like Makoharu ehehehe

Bless Booklover2526, Chinkonka, Shara Raizel and hitomi65 for reviewing, as well as those who faved and followed! You guys make me feel warm and fuzzy inside.

Phew, I just got back from trip, so I'm going to go take a bath and then nap. Review?

Bye bye~


	3. Three

Warning: kind of graphic bits

* * *

**Chapter 3: What's left**

"Haru…?" he can feel Rin's gaze dart between him and Haru. "And… Makoto."

Makoto himself can't seem to utter out any noise. It's Rin, Rin who used to live in Iwatobi, Rin who used to run to swim club with them, Rin who would bare his small canine teeth whenever he grinned. All of his teeth were pointy and sharp now, he noted. The three of them had been close as childhood friends, sleeping over once a week when Haru's parents were away, spending their allowances on salt-water popsicles, hiding with Makoto under in bed with him when there were storms. The last time he had seen him was a month before the Iwatobi was annihilated. _"Don't worry! I'm just visiting my uncle with my mum and sister. I'll be back before you know it!"_

He remembered Haru's frowning face when Rin announced that he'd be leaving. It wasn't supposed to be permanent of course, but he was still visibly upset by his departure. Haru never was good with people leaving.

"Rin." Haru's cracked voice comes out barely as a breath.

From Makoto's angle behind him, he can't see Haru's expression. But glancing down, Haru's gloved fingers tips are twitching ever so slightly. He resists the temptation to reach out and grab his hand. The tension between the three is stifling.

* * *

_8 Years before present time_

It's a cloudy day when the Japanese civilization is smudged away into nothing. Makoto's waiting at Haruka's house because his parents are at the hospital. _"You'll be an older brother soon, Makoto."_

He's nervous and follows Haruka around gripping his hand, and grandmother Nanase gently reminds him that they'll be back soon. Haruka sticks by his side the entire time, never letting go. Together, they read the postcard that Rin has mailed them from Australia. There's a tacky picture of a shark, something about finding a fourth member for the medley, and messy writing about how Haru should be jealous of him because he gets to swim in southern sea waters which means that soon he'll be a better swimmer than Haru. Makoto laughs because Haru frowns a when he reads it.

They write a letter back, and Haruka draws a picture of a dolphin, an orca and a shark, all swimming together. He licks the sticky envelope and folds it shut before they hand it to the friendly mailman.

Later, they go down to the beach. They both bring their swim trunks, and grandmother Nanase packs a picnic basket, bringing her knitting basket along as well. She knits them each a scarf even though it's the middle of August – a blue one for Haruka, and a green one for Makoto. By the end of the day, whatever unease he had felt had mostly dissipated.

The stars are out and they're lying in Haruka's bed in their pajamas with their scarves still on when he sees dim lights coming from outside the window. He shakes his friend awake. "Haru – Haru, wake up. I think my parents are home. Let's go see!"

But when they do get outside and down the stone steps, there's no car outside of the Tachibana residence. Instead, there's a dark floating _thing_ coming from the ocean with dim lights shining from it onto the coast.

Suddenly, an unbearable wave of heat and light blasts both him and Haruka into the air. The last thing that he can register is that he's falling and for the first time in twelve hours Haruka's hand isn't in his.

* * *

_"BREAKING NEWS: Only an hour ago, various towns and cities throughout Japan were supposedly bombed by unknown perpetrators. Unidentified aircrafts were seen moving in from the South-East coast – the United Cooperative is working on searching for them. Until the smoke has cleared, help will be on standby. No signs of life have been detected so far. Meanwhile, Chinese defence..."_

There's a clinking noise as Rin's spoon drops into his cereal bowl, splashing milk all over the table, eyes still glued on the television screen. His mother's already on the phone.

* * *

"Makoto. Makoto. Wake up." _That's Haru's voice._ _What happened?_ "Please. Makoto?" His voice lacks its usual composure. "Is anybody there? Makoto, please wake up."

Though they appear blurry, there's no mistaking Haruka's cerulean eyes. He blinks a couple of times to clear his vision. There's a large bruise on his friends forehead. "…Haru?" his own voice is dry and raspy, "What happened?"

Haruka's seems slightly relieved, shoulders relaxing and leaning back onto his hunches a bit. "I don't know."

Looking around, he can't find any recognizable in the marred landscape. He's leaned against a block of cement. Chunks of asphalt lay about, amongst smoking beams and metal poles. Where grass and trees once were, lay nothing but charred stumps and dirt. Grey clouds of ash float about the air, causing him to cough slightly. A half-charred body lies only a few feet away from them, partially crushed under a pile of rubble. The face half-melted off though, and there's no mistaking it – it was grandmother Nanase. Anxiety pulses through Makoto.

Haruka's trembling a bit, and his eyes are red and puffy. There's a couple of cuts on his hands where Makoto can see them, but aside from that he seems alright. His normally deadpan face reveals signs of panic and fear, which scared Makoto even more. There was no way he could have missed the smoking body of his grandmother's corpse.

If that was what happened to Haruka's family, where was his family then? Never in his life has he wanted his parents by his side so badly. Where were they? Where was everybody? He can feel his tears welling up in his eyes already. He starts quivering. He can feel Haruka moving to his side. Ah. Haruka's still here. Thank goodness Haru-chan was here. "Makoto, are you alright?" he says softly, his warm and familiar hand sliding into his.

Makoto tries to nod, but he starts sobbing uncontrollably. A dried, black arm crumbles off of grandmother Nanase's and falls to the ground.

* * *

"Mom, we have to go back." Rin tugs on the hem of his mother's dress "Dad's back there, mom. We can't just leave him. That's our home, mom. I promised Haru and Mako that I'd swim the medley with them."

But his mother is despondent sitting in front of the tele, phone in one hand. It's already been a week, and he hasn't heard anything but bad news. Gou's holding onto Rin, clutching her shark plush tightly in the other hand.

There are heavy bags under his mother's eyes when their uncle comes to take them to bed. She doesn't say anything, eyes unblinking and staring into the flat screen. Rin grabs the letter and its envelope before taking Gou's hand and heading upstairs to brush his teeth. The sound of news reports keep playing all night long.

* * *

For the next while, they wander around the remains of Iwatobi. There's not anything but smoking rubble. A younger boy named Nagisa joins them. He's surprisingly positive, despite their dismal situation, and warms up to them quickly. The scarves grandmother Nanase knit are a little ragged but handy for keep them warm at night, and they huddle together. Eventually, Makoto stops flinching whenever they pass burnt or bloody corpses. For food, they raid from the cracked windows of the local convenience store.

Makoto keeps looking out for his parents. A part of him is hopeful, but he finds himself giving up more and more with each dead person they pass. He asks Haruka if he thinks his parents will come and get them. They were out of town after all, so maybe they'd come back to look for Haru. Haruka only bites his lip and looks towards the ocean.

It's though, because even though they live by the sea, clean water is difficult to find. He's too scared to venture close to the shoreline, because surely if he does, the _thing_ that did all of this will rise again. Images of Haru's melted face plague his mind at night, so he reaches out to make sure that his friend is alright. Haru's blue eyes give him an understanding look in response.

All the phone lines are down, and most of the buildings have been flattened. There's no life what-so-ever, except for rats and other stray vermin. At one point, he forces himself to swallow his vomit when he sees a scrawny, eyeless cat eat its newborn kittens. He turns away before he sees anymore and runs back towards the pile of rubble they've temporarily made their home.

"Rin was supposed to come back from Australia today." Haru says one night to him.

Makoto's a little surprised by this, because Haru's hasn't said anything since seeing grandmother Nanase's corpse. They've been counting the days since Iwatobi was flattened. Nagisa's already asleep, curled up in the ragged blankets they managed to scavange. "You remembered?"

Haru only looks away, without responding. _I guess he really was looking forward to swimming together._ "We'll swim with Rin when everything's better again." He feels a smile reach his lips and reaches over and makes sure that Haru's scarf is wrapped on all right.

Days turn into weeks then into months, before people find them. They were starting to run out of food, and fresh water. They're emaciated and their skin is unhealthily taut on their tiny bone frames. Makoto's had never been so relieved, because Haruka had broken into a high fever the same morning they were found. The three of them are flown to a hospital in Berlin.

"Don't leave." Haruka whispers to him when the medics try to pry them apart. "Don't leave." So he doesn't let go of his hand, even if it is sweaty and cold from the fever. He doesn't let go, because that's the moment he realizes that Haru's all he has left.

* * *

Rin wants to scream. He wants to cry and throw a tantrum, but he doesn't because he needs to be there for Gou, who _is_ crying. They'd just received a letter from United Cooperative. To put it bluntly, their father was dead - either squashed by rubble during one of the supposed bombings, or vapourized. There's no way that they'll ever be moving back to their seaside town in Iwatobi.

_"The entire country is too radioactive to be inhibited on. Any searches for survivors will end next week."_

Annoying. The news reporter's voice was too annoying. It brought nothing but bad news. The medley was supposed to be in a week, and he'd promised Haru and Mako that'd he'd be back today. Guilt burned at the back of his eyes. He knew that his friends had been looking forward to his return, just as much as he had been. Especially Haru, good old taciturn Haru who had only written one sentence in the letter he and Makoto had sent: "Come back safe." How disgustingly ironic.

_Hi, my name is Matsuoka Rin, and I watched from a tele screen as my home, family and friends were turned into dust. _

His mother isn't any help either. She's become the equivalent of a lifeless doll, sitting in front of the television as always. Her hair is a mess and she hasn't bathed since forever. Her eyes were locked into the distance, and Rin could tell that she had trapped herself in a dark world of sadness. He's terrified, because he knew that he hadn't just lost his father, he'd also lost his mother. Bitter thoughts run through his mind when he looks at her. He wants to grab her and yell at her to get a grip, shake her until she wakes up from her trance because he and Gou need her now more than ever. _"You're the only family we have left! We have nothing! Help us Mom, answer me!"__  
_

Instead, he just holds Gou and whispers lies about how things are going to be okay.

* * *

**Next Chapter:**

"Haru-chan's so… fast." Nagisa utters from beside him, but Rin's not listening, because Haruka's looking right at him, staring at him with the _bored_ expression that only Nanase Haruka could hold while in the middle of combat. _He's not even serious and he's already better than me._

Well, fuck you too, Haru.

* * *

_Author's Note_:

I'm going to be honest, I was kind of proud of this chapter!

I hope you guys don't mind that this was more of a filler/flashback chapter, and I promise you that things will start moving at a much faster pace soon after the next chapter. I don't have much to say, but how do you think the boys are going to react?

Shoutout to hitomi65, Booklover2526 (i'm so sorry i have nothing to say), PheonixShadow, ashira23, brojaxeh, Meepmeep123, and Shara Raizel for reviewing because you guys make my day. I'm actually going to follow brojaxeh's idea and leave the pairing unsaid for now. I think I'll update on Wednesday.

Review? (｡･ω･｡)ﾉ


	4. Four

Warning: Boring chapter

* * *

**Chapter 04: Introductions**

There's a constricting feeling around Haruka's neck, because he doesn't _know_ what to feel and he wasn't ready for this. The elite team was supposed to be just another pain in the ass that he'd have to deal with until he got reassigned, not _this._ Nagisa's here too, he mentally notes. Nagisa who he hadn't seen since Berlin. To be honest, at first he wasn't sure if it was _really_ Rin and Nagisa. The last time he saw them, they were just kids. Now he had to crane his neck upwards a bit to meet Rin's gaze. Nagisa hadn't changed much, sporting the same optimism.

He takes a small step back and is ready to turn and flee, but is stopped by Makoto's hand resting on the small of his back. Rin was watching them. _"I'll be back before you know it." _It's been eight years. Liar.

"Mako-chan! Haru-chan! It's really you two, isn't it? I haven't seen you in forever!" As if completely ignorant - he probably was - of the rigid atmosphere, the familiar strawberry blond boy bounds towards them.

"Drop the -chan, Nagisa." The response is instinctive.

"Aha, Haru-chan, be nice." Makoto smiles. "Nagisa. It's been a while, hasn't it."

"You know each other?" the girl with cherry hair Haruka hadn't paid attention to stands up from her seat.

Thinking about it, she looked quite a bit like Rin. Rin had a little sister, didn't he? "Yep! Agent 12, Hazuki Nagisa at your service." Nagisa nods towards him and Mako. "The three of us from the same town – Iwatobi, Japan." Haru glances at Rin, who doesn't say anything, but the recognition that flashed through his face is clear.

"I haven't seen either Mako-chan or Haru-chan since Berlin though." Nagisa's voice is slightly remorseful. After all, he was the only one that had been sent to a separate branch when they joined the United Cooperative.

Looking at Rin, he couldn't help but notice how different Haru remembered him as. His face was more angular, and his teeth were pointier. Rin doesn't say anything, which is weird because the Rin he remembered was annoyingly talkative - almost as bad as Nagisa.

Questions drifted through his head, but he shook them off, trying to focus on the present situation

_"Swim the medley the with me!" _The image of him, Rin and Makoto standing underneath a cherry tree appears in his head. Pink petals swirl around them as the wind blows. Why was this memory resurfacing? Frowning, he shakes the thought away.

"Onii-san and I are from Iwatobi too!" the girl perks up.

"The Matsuoka family, right?" Makoto says, voicing the doubt that Haruka himself had wondered. Haruka looks up at Makoto who smiles down at him before continuing. "After all, there had only been one family in Iwatobi with red hair like you two. Matsuoka Rin… and Matsuoka uh…Gou?"

"It's Mission Director 09 Matsuoka _Kou_, now."

That's right. Rin had a little sister sister, Haru reminded himself. "Makoto, Haru and I used to swim at the same swim club." Haruka's surprised to hear Rin speak up. It's a lot lower than when they were kids, rougher and sharper.

"So that means I'm the only one…" A guy with red framed glasses that Haruka hadn't even realized was in the room looks down at his feet, slightly dejected.

"Ah- it's alright Rei-chan!" Nagisa slaps him on the back, "You'll fit in eventually, as long as you don't bore everyone with facts and calculations.

"W-What's that supposed to mean?"

Nagisa laughs as the Rei guy retorts pitifully. Haruka almost cringes when he feels another pair of eyes staring at him. Gou's concentrated face is staring right at him - he can almost see the gears turning in her head. "That's right! How couldn't I have noticed! You're _the _Nanase Haruka that Onii-san used to talk about all the time! I can't believe I didn't notice while I was looking through your files. Nanase-san's so fast! He's such a great swimmer! I'm definitely going to beat Nanase – "

"Kou." Rin cuts her off, brows furrowed slightly. It may have been a trick of light, but a slight pink sprinkled Rin's cheeks. Haruka's frown grew deeper, and he opens he mouth and is about to say something - but he holds back.

Kou only giggles at her brother's embarrassment. "Well, I suppose this will works out better than I'd expected."

He could still feel Rin's eyes boring holes into his skull as he Makoto nudged him into the room and took a seat at the table next to Nagisa and Makoto. Another guy he didn't know with red-framed glasses was also there. _"_Welcome to United Cooperative's newest elite team." She says proudly. "I'll be managing your missions from now on. To begin…"

* * *

Introductions are done quickly enough, and everybody's given the chance to get settled into their new room arrangements. The rooms they were given weren't much different than the ones Makoto and Haru had before. White, windowless walls, cold floors, black steel framed bed with a dresser. Haru takes the first one just up the stairs on the balcony, so Makoto gets the last remaining one just down the steps from his. It's slightly nostalgic, really, Makoto thinks.

Gou announces the schedule for the following week. Their mornings and afternoons are going to start with field training, first individually for data collecting purposes, then in pairs, then together once that was finished. During the evenings, they'll get time off – hopefully time spent getting to know each other. Makoto feels Haru let out small a sigh of relief. Knowing Haru though, he'll ditch everybody and spend the time in the pool.

"We'll start right now. I booked the field training rooms until noon, so I want us all to get down there as soon as possible."

"Hey, Gou-chan," Nagisa pipes up.

"Kou."

Nagisa ignore her. "It's really amazing how you managed to get so many of the top five for this team." his eyes darting over to Haruka, Rin and Makoto, before smirking"What type of sex appeal did you use?"

"I didn't use any! Now get downstairs before I hurt you!"

The sounds of Nagisa's laughter and Rei's muttering disappear down the hallway. Rin's headed back to his own room to change into something more suitable for training, but lingers when he hears Makoto apologetically talking to Gou.

"Sorry Director Kou, since Haru just finished a mission, he probably wants to take a bath and change into cleaner clothes. We'll be down right after. I'msosorry." The words are dashed out quickly. There's the sounds of footsteps and Makoto's nervous fretting (because Haru shouldn't be stripping in front of a girl for crying out loud and if he leaves his mission gear around somebody's going to trip).

It'd been eight years but Haruka hadn't lost his aloof demeaner, doing what he wanted, when he wanted. at the same time, Makoto fawned over him by picking up the pieces per usual. The only thing that seemed different was that, like Rin, they had matured physically. For crying out loud, Makoto was at least a good six foot tall. Nothing had changed - but at the same time, he could see that there was something haunted dancing behind his friends' eyes. Iwatobi, huh. There were a million questions he wanted to ask them... a million more he wanted to ask Haruka.

"Ah fine, we'll see you down there then." Gou replies, pausing before peaking into his own room, "Onii-san, I'm leaving without you if you don't hurry up."

"Dammit Gou, don't come in when I'm changing." Rin says pulling on his pants with one hand and grabbing his boots, before following Gou out. He stops briefly, wondering if he should stay to talk with Makoto and Haruka. Neither of them are in sight though, and the only sounds he can here is the rush of bathwater flowing into the tub and the washing machine churning. Later, he decides.

* * *

The training grounds Gou lead him to is at least five floors tall and as wide as a football field, and just as brightly lit. It's lined with white panels with hues of lights that run along like hamsters in a hamster maze. Along the top and bottom, shaded windows for observers have been cut, one beside the other.

"This is to test your capability to react on the field. You'll be provided a variety of different holographic fields, both indoors and outdoors with all sorts of differentiating environmental factors." Rei explains, before pointing into the dark programming room. "Gou and I will be in here. We'll only be going through this once today, just to get notes. We'll be trying out the earpieces as well. Throughout the week, you'll be given a different set of challenges according to your current files and the data that we'll assemble."

Rin's impressed when he comes out sweating to say the least. He had been provided with ship/cargo dock scenario, and it had felt strangely realistic, even complete with the sounds of seagulls screeching in the backdrop as he moved through and a salt breeze. He drops his glocks on the bench before plopping himself down as well.

"Good job Agent Matsuoka-san!" a towel is handed to him.

He turns around "Aiichiro… Nitori?"

The boy with the bowl cut hair looks pleased, and nods sheepishly as he Rin accepts.

"What are you doing here?"

"I had spare time, so I came to watch. You're time was 15 minutes, 10 seconds and 10 milliseconds, scoring an overall 92 out of 111. Director Kou told me to tell you because she said you'd like to know."

Rin furrows his brows a bit. His results are better than compared to the others', but not by too much.

The agent with a mole shuffled out, exclaiming something about being late - at the same time, the door behind them slid open, and Nagisa and Makoto entered into the observation room. "Nice work, Rin-chan!" Nagisa blurts out.

It was a little irritating how Nagisa was already acting as if everybody had known each other for years. Hell, he didn't even know when Nagisa had become friends with the other two. There was a loud clanging as Nagisa carelessly dropped his long-ass sniping gun on the bench. Agent 12 was a sniper, Rin had discovered - sure he was practically the same size as his weapon, but it was clear that he meant business when his mouth was shut and his hands were on the trigger. He finally knew why Gou had chosen him now. "_Results: 20 minutes, 80 out of 111."_ Snipers usually didn't even qualify for the top fifty agents. Every single target Nagisa had hit had been a dead bullseye.

Makoto smiles warmly and acknowledging his mark as well, before walking to the window that faced into the training space. Even as he stood there, the broad shoulders Makoto carried screamed business. He had watched his trial, handling all areas relatively well with determined fortitude - Agent 03 who followed closely behind him in terms of ability wasn't to be underestimated, afterall. The once slightly timid and gentle boy Rin once knew seemed to be replaced with a rampaging beast once on the field. His powerful close combat blows were something that even Rin had to acknowledge. Around 17 minutes, 88 out of 111. Makoto had blasted his way through, even completely smashing a couple of the wooden dummies with nothing but the butt of gun.

Jerking him from his thoughts, Gou's voice comes through the crackling speakers in the corner of the room. "Agent 00, please proceed into the platform area."

That's right, _this_ was what he was here for. Haruka was Agent 00, and Agent 00 was Haruka. Peering through the glass panel, Rin's eyes followed the black-clad agent as he walked into the bright, white gymnasium. He was still unclear as in how to feel about this whole situation. Back then, in Iwatobi, Haruka had been his rival at swimming, but at the same time one of his best friends. And even though Haruka had always beat him easily every single time, he still had cared for the stoic, introverted boy. A rival turned friend returned from the supposed dead to challenge him again. Rin could feel his teeth grinding against each other just thinking about it.

"Alright Agent 00, get into position. Starting up holographs. In 3, 2, 1 –" a whistle blew, and the image of what looked like the inside of museum appeared, complete with dinosaur skeletons to pinned beatles in glass cases. It was dark, but from Rin's view above, he could make out the slender form dressed in mission attire, similar to the one before.

Having switched to the group comm on the speakers, Gou's voice is focused as she always was when directing missions. "You're objective is to activate the red button at the other side of the building."

It's a simple enough task, and Agent 00 wordlessly soundlessly sliding down the artificially projected hallway. The first flock of dummies appeared, ambushing him from above. What happened next was something that first brought Rin awe, then pissed him off. Time slowed. Never before in his life had he seen someone move the way Haruka did. He spun through the air the same way he had swam – with quick, effortless grace and fluid movements. Unconsciously, Rin held his breath because, he looked more like a performer than a man who was trained to kill. Lean muscles rippling, limbs soaring with absolute dexterity. Before Rin could completely take in what was happening, there was a flash of silver, and pieces of wooden dummy had dropped to the floor.

"Haru-chan's so… fast." Nagisa utters from beside him, and Makoto chuckles as if it were an everyday thing.

But Rin's not listening, because he's caught a glint from another hallway, and Haruka's looking right at him, staring at him with the _bored_ expression that only Nanase Haruka could hold while in the middle of freakin' combat. _He's not even serious and he's already better than me._

The connection only lasted a second though, before he turned and started moving on. None of his movements were wasted, smoothly dodging projectiles and leaving only clean cut dummies behind him. Not long after, the Victorian Mansion hologram was deactivated seeing as Haruka had completed his trial. Gou called them all downstairs, and there stood Haruka, standing there, not a drop of sweat on him. In fact, he looked as if he'd just woken up from a nap.

"Haru-chan, that was AMAZING!"

"Drop the -chan."

"Eh? But Haru-chan is Haru-chan."

"You did beautifully, Agent Nanase! That was simply spendid. Your time was 11 minutes, 2 seconds and 33 milliseconds, scoring 107 out of 111."

"I don't care about my time or my score." Haruka looked away, seething his blade across his back in one swift, sliding motion.

"You've always been good at things like this, Haru. Let's go grab something to eat after this. You haven't had anything since yesterday afternoon - how about mackerel?"

"Miso mackerel."

Rin could only stare at the dark hair and uncaring cerulean eyes as Makoto handed the latter a water bottle. _He had appeared back in Rin's life to be better than him again. He's not even serious and he's already better than me. _Rin clenched his fist, a spark of jealousy he had forgotten several years ago setting blaze to dark, hateful flame.

* * *

**Next Chapter:**

Haru can't answer not because his air pipe is being squashed under Rin's weight, but he's scared, he's scared because it's the moment he realizes that _this isn't the same Rin he knew_.

* * *

_Author's Note:_

Shitty ending is shitty, but next time things are actually going to start moving (slowly at first, but it'll pick up)! Updates are definitely going to slow, because I had go back to school today... The only good thing about that is that it's also water day! ヾ(。◕ฺ∀◕ฺ)ノ

Wow guys, I'm SO blown away by your positive feedback - they make me blush, and really motivated me to continue writing this. It's all thanks to hitomi65, Booklover2526, darkfairy14, ashira23, Chinkonka, PheonixShadow, Meepmeep123, Lynn, brojaxeh, x-Mysti-x, celestialstarynight, Guest and Shara Raizel.

Things are going to get complicated real soon. Next update's going to be on either Saturday or Sunday. Comment?


	5. Five

****unbeta'd

* * *

**Chapter 5: I don't know**

It's late into the night when Haruka finally manages to slip away from the team. Floating around in the empty pool, the quiet echo of rippling water is relaxing. To be honest, spending all that time around them was giving him a headache. Physical training would have been a breeze, if it wasn't for both the Matsuoka siblings staring at him while he ran drills for data collection. Director Kou kept murmuring about muscles, and Rin's glare just wouldn't subside. Makoto had also seemed slightly deterred, but had played along good-naturedly with a smile on his face. Nagisa and Rei, together, on the other hand, were just plain loud.

Sighing, he dove underwater. This is why he didn't like doing things with other people. The last time he had been on a team mission was… well never. He'd been on a couple with Makoto, but that was Makoto and Makoto was different. Teamwork just wasn't his thing, especially not with people he hadn't seen for eight years. It was too absurd how they'd all been working with the same organization, but never meeting. His superiors seemed to acknowledge his need for solitude up until this point. The artificial stadium lights, diffusing as they hit the water. Quiet, peaceful, safe. The ache from his limbs drained away into the cool liquid as he continued drifting.

Finally coming up for air, he turned his head as the sound of the door slid shut, the sound resonating through the large space. Looking up, he expects to see Makoto coming to get him like always. Who he didn't expect was Rin. Nope. Not now. Definitely not. He dove back underwater, dolphin kicking himself away to the other end of the pool.

He's not pleased to see Rin who's walked over and is squatting there when he does emerge from the water. He's changed into casual wear, Haruka notes. Grey sweatpants and a black T-shirt, the typical dull clothes that United Cooperative provided. "You're still swimming."

It's slightly nostalgic, Rin by the pool with Haru. But the expression he wears is unfamiliar, contrasting so much from 10 year-old Rin. _Why won't you smile, Rin? _He's tempted to dive underwater and continuously swim his troubles away, evading Rin until he leaves.. If only Makoto was here, because if Makoto were here he'd know what to do, he'd know what to say for Haru. He's tired, and talking with Rin was the last thing he wants to do right now. If Makoto were here, he'd help him. Haruka wasn't good with the types of confrontations.

Haruka doesn't say anything. Rin rolls up his pants and sits down, sliding his legs into the water. The swimmer stays as he is, leaning against the edge of the pool. Neither of them look at each other. The restlessness that hangs in the air is horrible and now would be a really good time to swim away. "Why are you alive, Haru?" Rin asks, out of the blue.

He's taken back a bit from the biting tone in Rin's question. _Why are you asking me this?_ "How should I know." He says instead.

"Fuck, Haru, you're just as frustrating as ever. What happened to you and Makoto after that day at Iwatobi? Why are you two here now, out of all places?"

_Why do you sound mad at me, Rin? _"There wasn't anywhere else to go."

"So you decided to risk your own life and become an agent, even after that."

"You're not much better."

Rin hesitates. "Makoto doesn't seem like the type to do this type of work."

This time it's Haru's turn to pause. When they had started as rookies, Makoto hadn't fallen into the pattern as easily as Haruka had; creeping silently about at night, wielding harmful objects, hurting others, taking the lives of those who were just doing their job. Haruka had let Makoto cling to him in their past room, tears soaking his shirt. _"Just give me a moment, and I'll be ok."_ _  
_

_"If you don't like it, don't do it."_ he had told Makoto. Makoto had been much more soft-hearted, more empathetic to these types of things than himself, Haruka had known.

_"But if I stopped, would you stop, Haru-chan?" _Haruka hadn't been able to respond. _"Because I'll go anywhere you go, I'll follow Haruka, always."_

He closed his eyes. No, Makoto wasn't suited for this type of work, because when Makoto hurt things, Makoto hurt himself hurt too. But he'd be by his side - that was what Makoto had told him. And to ensure that, he'd protect Makoto. He'd make sure Makoto was ok, because Makoto wasn't suited for this cruel profession. If Makoto was willing to stay for him, then he would be willing to bleed and shed blood for Makoto. This wasn't anything he hadn't thought about before, he reminded himself.

"No, but it's ok." he finally answers Rin.

"You're so uncaring, it's always been." Resentment resonates in Rin's words. "Your heart's still so frigid that the destruction of Iwatobi hadn't changed anything for you." _How could he talk about something that'd been so evil so casually?_

"Don't try to romanticize it. What happened at Iwatobi is none of your business."

"It is my business, you little shit. That was my hometown too, you know."

_If it was your home, why would you abandon it? _"It wasn't like you were there."

"It's not like I didn't see the reports."

"You weren't there." He repeats.

"There weren't supposed to be any survivors, Haru."

Exasperation pressed down on him. Why did Rin have to be so persistent? "What do you want?"

"For fuck's sake, Japanese civilization was annihilated."

"It was eight years ago." _Eight years too late to be having this talk._

"And you're standing in front of me now, so tell me what happened."

"I don't know."

He's startled to see Rin's face so close to his own, studying him, trying to decipher him almost as if he were a puzzle. No, it was more like those red eyes were trying to crack Haruka's well built exterior with pure spite. He opens his mouth, but nothing comes out. How does he tell Rin about waking up to a town turned wasteland he called home, crying over his deceased grandmother's melted face, believing that his neglectful parents were probably glad that they didn't have to bother with the old hag and their anti-social child anymore? How would Rin know what it'd been like with two other equally emotionally scarred and terrified boys, waiting for months on end for somebody, _anybody_ to come and take them away from that living hell? How does he let Rin understand that he kept vouching on the fact that Rin _promised_ to come back but he abandoned him for eight years instead? _Liar. You're such a liar. _The moment of silence between them drags out. When his voice does come out, it's colder than he intends for it to be. "You're a pain."

They fall into a silence once more, both of them waiting for the other to speak. Today must just be chock full of fun and surprises, because Haruka's breath hitches when he hears Rin's next words. "I hate you, you know that?"

_You don't have the right._ He flicks his hair and looks away from Rin.

"You were always better than me." He can hear Rin kicking at the pool water.

_That's not true, and you know it. You only think that because I like swimming as much as you liked to compete in swimming._

"My old man used to be an agent too, you know. Agent 00, Matsuoka Shin." Rin's voice is quiet, and through Haruka's peripheral vision, he looks almost sad, melancholy even. Almost. And no, he didn't know, because Rin had never told him. _You told me he was a fisherman._ _Liar. Liar liar liar. _It was a no brainer that he didn't know, really. "He was the best of the best. He was the reason I came to worked for United Cooperative as well. I… I wanted to be just like him."

"But then you showed up, Haruka. You showed up and you were Agent 00 and you were better than me _again_."

Haru doesn't say anything, because what was there to say? He didn't mean to rank as Agent 00 - to him it was just a set of numbers, a set of numbers given to him people were impressed by his control and ability. What number he was given wasn't important to him, just as his swimming time hadn't important to him when he used raced Rin at the swimming club. Rin continues, and his legs are still now. "I was in Australia when he died. He passed away the same day you and Makoto should have died too, but he didn't make it and you two did. Why was that, Haru?"

"I don't know."

"Tell me."

That was an order, not a question. "I told you I don't know."

Strong fingers wrap around his neck and tug him out of the water, his head hitting the wet tile as the pressure of Rin's forearm pressed down on his air pipes – he can't breathe because Rin's grip is too tight and those sharp rows of teeth are too close. There's a stinging pain right above his jaw where hard nails are digging into. He instinctively reaches around to get Rin off of him but he can't – he can't hurt Rin, he's not going to hurt Rin more than he already has by not dying eight years ago.

"Is that all you can say? That's bullshit. That's bullshit, you bastard, complete and utter bullshit. Tell me," The scarlet eyes in front of him pits of emotions, searching, searching, searching for something that Haruka couldn't give to him.

Rin's breath is too hot, too angry and too heavy against his face. There's agony painted on his face and the words he spits out are filled with hate, "Why did you have to come back and torture me like this? Tell me how come _you, you out of all fucking people_ _made it and my dad didn't?__"_

Haru can't answer not because his throat is being squashed under Rin's weight, but he's scared, he's scared because that's the moment he realizes that this isn't the same Rin he knew.

* * *

Makoto's just about finished picking out clothes for Haru when Director Kou peeks her head into the room. Grabbing a towel along with the other garments he's holding, he shuts his drawer starting on his way to get Haru out of the pool and into bed. It'd been a long day after training, repeating drills over and over again – Rei and Kou had seemed fairly content by the end of it though before calling it a day.

_01:03 _his watch read. He's was spoiling Haru for letting him stay in the pool for so long; most the team had headed to bed long ago. So he was surprised to see the petite cherry-haired girl leaning against the doorframe in her pajamas with a clipboard in her arms. "Sorry to bother you, Agent Tachibana, are you in the middle of something?"

He shook his head gently, smiling. "Not really, I was about to go pick up Haru at the pool."

"Ah- is that so." She looks down, shuffling her slippers. "I'll walk with you there then, there's some things I want to discuss with you."

He can't help and raise his eyebrows a bit in surprise, but simply nods and follows her out the door. It's serene in the hallways, the quiet hum of electricity passing through wires. At nighttime, the hallway lights are dimmed so that only a light blue shines from where the four walls meet. Scratch that, it was never serene at night. He tried to push the thoughts of ghosts and spirits out of his mind. "W-What is it you wanted to talk about?"

"You're going getting a promotion to captain. Team captain that is. This is my decision, and if you'll agree, I'll ask for permission to authorize it." her long ponytail swinging as she walked, indifferent to un-earthy vibes his imagination was conjuring. "Which also means that you'll be in charge of the things that happen on the field."

Team captain? "It's only been a day Gou, are you sure that's a good choice?"

"Positive."

"But both Rin and Haru both have higher rankings than I do-"

"Doesn't matter. Skill and success rate is only one thing. Record wise, you've done the most team missions," she pauses, and Makoto can tell that she's contemplating if she should continue, "and you were also noted to be the most… mentally stable."

Curious, the question slips out of his mouth before he can stop himself. "What do you mean by that?"

The elevator door slide close. "The results for the mandatory psychology tests came today."

"Psychology tests?" Oh gosh, he sounded just like a parrot, repeating everything that Director Kou was telling him, but only as a question instead. Then it clicked.

That's right – there had been a mandated psychology test last week. Haruka had been reluctant to go, but some bribing with mackerel did the trick. "You're results showed fairly low levels of instability, and Hazuki wasn't too bad either, at least compared to my brother and Agent Nanase. It'll take too long to explain, but –"

Haru-chan? Haru was less mentally fit than he was? Sure, his friend might seem slightly emotionally stunted, but that's… impossible. _But it is Makoto, it is possible and you know it._ "Haru…?"

As if sensing his concern, she reached up and patted him on the shoulder reassuringly. "It's not anything that's going to get him removed from action. Um… apparently he refused to answer most of the questions and walked out in the end."

Oh. That sounded like Haruka. The first time they had done a psychology test, Haruka had came out looking upset, saying something about how uncomfortable that "mental probing" compared to water and they should just let him swim instead. He reminded himself to confiscate some of Haruka's mackerel.

"How about Rin?"

"Onii-chan… onii-chan's a bit more complicated than that. You see, a lot of things happened after our dad died, leaving my mum and us behind... We... we all changed. Onii-chan... he changed the most...he..." The younger girl trailed off, slightly distracted with the thought as she stepped out of the elevator. Her usual feisty flare was doused a bit, her face scrunching up then relaxing into a more worried look.

"It's not anything you should be concerned with, for now." _If you're saying that, should I be more concerned? _"The main point it, when this team does get out on the field, it's only going to be you, Nanase, my brother, and Hazuki. Ryuzaki and I will be providing instructions and other information through the communicators, but aside from that it's only you four. Since Nagisa's more oriented in sniping, he won't be close enough to the main operations where you three should be. So, according to what I can gather, you're the most fit for position."

"Well, I guess that's fine with me then." He agreed. The lights from the pool were visible in sight now, just down the hall. He walked a little faster. The eerily lit hallways were starting to creep him out.

"Perfect!" Gou grinned excitedly, teeth flashing. _Just like Rin when he was little._ It was uncanny how much the two resembled each other – they _are_ siblings after all. "Thank you so much Captain Agent Tachibana! That sounds a little bit funny...maybe we should just call you Captain Tachibana?"

He reached up to scratch the back of his head. "It's no big deal, and you can just call me Makoto."

"Alright then, Captain Ma-ko-to." she saluted. "And also, did you hear that – wait – Onii-san, stop!"

* * *

**Next Chapter:**

_"I don't know." _Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck. _"I don't know." _Is that all he could say? Fuck you, Haru. Fuck you, because a cold-hearted, insensitive asshole like him didn't deserve to live when his father apparently didn't. He could just go to hell like where he belonged for all he cared.

Despite all this preparation, he can't shake the feeling of dread as Gou sends them off on their first mission.

* * *

_Author's Note:_

I honestly don't know anymore. This chapter was the hardest for me to write so far, and I kept writing it and then rewriting it, so I decided hey, fuck it. I'm so sorry if it didn't meet your expectations or there were unnatural or awkward moments. If there are any, just review and I'll re-post it with it changed/edited.

Thanks to Meepmeep123, Chinkonka, celestialstarynight, ashira23, PheonixShadow, Shara Raizel and brojaxeh who reviewed - you guys are adorable.

Also, Shara Raizel's question: oh don't worry about Rei; I have stuff for him up my sleeve. Just wait for it to come.


	6. Six

**Chapter 6: He still cares**

The sound of his sister's shout and Makoto pulling him off Haru made him stop. _"I don't know." _Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck. Is that all he could say?Fuck you, Haru. Fuck you, because a cold-hearted, insensitive asshole like him didn't deserve to live when his father apparently didn't. He could just go to hell like where he belonged for all he cared. The sound of his own enraged breathing is deafening, outrage still stabbing at his chest.

Slap. Rin blinked. "What the hell, Gou?"

The clipboard is whipped around again, slapping him hard on the cheek once more. Visible tension that he's not used to ripples through his sister as she lowers her "weapon", and setting her hands down at her hips. "It's Kou, and what do you think _you're_ doing?"

Rin's mind went blank. He could feel Makoto's muscles relax with his own. The strong arms grasping him drop and him stumbles to the side. Immediately, the brown-eyed boy rushed to his friend's side and dropped to his knees, tenderly checking Haru for any injuries and murmuring his worries endearingly. "Haru, are you alright, Haru? You're bleeding, let me see your face. Haru, please."

The latter sat up, coughing lightly as a slender hand reaches up brushing the area where Rin could see a large, marring bruise forming halfway around his neck. There was a thin trickle of blood was coming from four crescent shaped marks his cheek, and another under his jaw where Rin hadn't even noticed that he had scratched him.

His own face stung from Gou's blows. Looking at Gou, there was disbelief and accusation written all over her face, directed towards him. It feels as if someone had hit the mute button. He could feel the rage bubbling inside of him subside, only a little bit though. The bruises on Haru's throat were starting to turn a royal blue, the blood on his ivory skin was too red against the milky skin. A shiver involuntarily travels down his spin. _It's cold._

* * *

Gou holds him back when they get back to their lounge. Makoto takes Haruka back to his room before coming down to sit at the table with the other two. _It's almost like an interrogation._ He can't force himself to look at the other two. The sound of a clock ticks as Rin watches his the blinking lights on his own watch. 01:22. 01:27. 01:30, 01:42, 01:43. He stands up.

"If you're not going to say anything, I'm going to go to sleep."

"Rin."

There's an unexpected seriousness, the way Makoto says his name. Rin doesn't like it at all, but he sits himself back down regardless. He really should consider apologizing. He didn't mean to hurt Haru like that. It's just that… that boy pissed him off _so damn much._

"Onii-san, you're lucky you get me as your director." Gou's still giving him the same look from before. "If I reported it, you'd be off commission for a month."

"It's not like I care. You wouldn't get permission to send this team on a mission for the first time if your superiors got a hold of this."

"That's fine, I'd just wait. It's not like it'd end up on _my_ personal record or anything. You know if mom ever found out-"

"Gou, don't you dare bring mom into this-"

"_That's enough,_ Gou, Rin." Crap. He really didn't like being on this side of Makoto. The soft-spoken boy from his childhood who shied away from conflict and hid behind Haruka when he was frightened, had been replaced with broad shoulders, muscled long limbs, and an acute jaw. The amiable side of him remained - he had seen it just this morning, but there was a new steadiness and focus that was even slightly intimidating.

Another period of silence elapses. The clock ticks. His little sister is the first one to speak up again. This time it's softer, pitiful even. "You're close to being taken off anyways, for therapy. You're… psychiatric tests didn't exactly yield the results desired for an agent with a ranking like yours. It's not safe."

Therapy? He thought this was about Haru. What the fuck did this have to do with therapy? Gou's face shows that she can see exactly what Rin is thinking. "Should I leave?" Makoto's question is directed at Gou, not him.

"It's fine, stay. You're the captain after all, so it'd be better."

Makoto as captain? For some reason, that didn't sound that far fetched. At least he wasn't like Haru; he was less moody, more sociable but most importantly not an asshole.

Gou continues. "We're not going to get into specifics, but the people who did your test put you down as a suspect of anger management issues. Apparently you go through patterns of explosive anger."

"What?" Bloody hell, he was _this_ close to asking Gou to cut the crap. He hadn't spent the last eight fucking years only to be shut down because of fucking _feelings._ He'd seen those agents that had been sent to therapy, and he knew that their ranking plunged down to the below thirties. "Where did that come from? I've never done that, or even come close."

"You just assaulted Haru." Rin tries not to flinch.

"Sorry, Onii-chan, I'm no therapist, but what I'm trying to say is that if somebody reports your actions as a possible threat to the team then you're going to be completely shut down until otherwise determined."

Rin's shoulders slumped forwards. There wasn't any use trying to argue this. When it came to people above Gou, what the superiors said became law. If what she said was true, he sure as hell need to watch his step so that he didn't have to go talk to someone in the fucking psychiatric ward about his goddamn _emotions_. He reached a hand up to his face, massaging his temples. He had a headache, and it was too late at night to be discussing things like this.

"He still cares you know." Makoto says out out of the blue. There's sentiment there. Rin can't help but dance between confusion, fear and guilt. "I don't know what happened there between you two, and I'm not going to pry, Rin, but you should know he still cares."

There's the sound of a chair screeching and footsteps, and only him and Gou are left at the table.

"Onii-chan, this isn't like you."

He sighs, standing up. "Sorry."

"Don't apologize to me. I thought... I thought you were all friends... What happened?"

Rin answers with the only response that comes to mind: "I don't know."

* * *

They don't talk about it when morning comes. Makoto comes out all sunshine and smiles, almost as if he were fucking Jesus or something. Gou shuffles out tiredly in her bunny pajamas as usual, searching for coffee. He can see the astonishment on Makoto's face when Haruka comes out of his room fully dressed for the day and wearing a worn blue scarf that covers up neck and chin. His slanted eyes tell Rin nothing, as he straps on a ridiculous apron and starts frying a piece of mackerel. When Nagisa asks what happened to Haru-chan's face, Haruka tells him that it's no big deal and that he just fell. Nagisa accuses him of being a terrible liar (which he is, Rin knows from past experience) and continues to question him until Rei tells him to bug off and go bother somebody else, to which Nagisa complies happily by grabbing his glasses.

The next week passes with Rin avoiding Haruka as much as possible, and trying to repress his "anger issues". Whenever he sees the scarf slip down revealing the fair, willowy neck and now purple skin, he holds back the impulse of pulling the stoic boy to his chest and apologizing. But he hesitates every time, because he reminds himself that the universe had thrown the person he hated the most back into his life and robbing him and his sister of a father. So really, he should be happy that the bruise looks painful and that the nail marks are still burning bright.

He still wanted to do _something _though - anything to make it more bearable to be around his childhood rival. Instead, he just grits his teeth when he's too close and Haruka shrinks ever so slightly away from him. Knowing the work that they did though, it probably wasn't uncommon for Haruka to get the cut or bruise, maybe even bullet wound every now and again, so dammit why was he acting this way? Makoto hovers around Haruka, cautious and as touchy as a watchdog, making sure that Rin kept his distance. He tries to keep his eye from twitching with both the team captain and director are shooting him concerned looks.

Another thing to add was that Nitori started stopping by a little too often, always asking Rin about this and that and for some reason bringing an unnecessary amount of sports drinks. Honestly he had no idea how this kid had so much spare time. On one hand, it was mildly creepy, but on the other, his company kept him distracted from the rest of his team (who, much to his resentment seemed to be growing a lot more closer without him around).

Team practices are complete train wrecks for a number of reasons. Haruka always disappears somewhere and won't tell anyone where he's going or what he's doing, sometimes even forgetting his earpiece back in his room. It's strange, because Nagisa fluxuates between complete concentration and getting distracted by fidgeting with his "cool new earpiece."

He himself can't seem to focus on anything but trying to outdo Haruka in some way or another, which, to be honest was causing him to become worse and worse. Makoto just sighs, slightly dejected at the end of each practice, and hopes for better results. Gou just shakes her head and tells them to prepare for another holographic trial.

The only person who seems to be getting anywhere is the Specialist, Ryuuzaki Rei, who's provided each of them with a new set of weaponry, along with another set of small but useful gadgets and new uniforms. Each of them are given tight, black mesh short sleeved shirts with high collars that wrapped around their necks, rather thin bullet proof vests, black windbreakers with too many pockets to go over top, dark grey cargo pants that aren't too loose and complete with combat boots. The whole outfit is lighter than what he's used to, less padded which also meant that he would be less protected. But as soon as the idea crosses his mind, Rei disproves it by shooting at a vest at point blank. The bullets only manage to get themselves lodged not even two centi-meters in.

They make their own adjustments, Rin choosing to keep the pair of leather fingerless gloves, his father's utility belt and folding the boots down to his ankles. Their weapons have also been taken in for inventory, it appears. The grip on his new, lighter glocks feel like they've been moulded just to fit his hands, and Nagisa cheers wildly at his new sniping gun that detaches into a more reasonable sized shotgun in one simple adjustment.

He almost asks their proud specialist if he'd even work at M16 for James Bond. Even Haruka seems to be especially affected when Ryuzaki presents him a long, four foot blade that has fucking water in the handle. The rare shimmer of approval was apparent in those marine eyes as he balanced the blade in his hand before giving it a few swings.

"Wow, Rei-chan, you've really outdone yourself!"

"In only been week as well, that's really something, Ryuuzaki! " their team captain exclaims, impressed with a new high tech assault rifle. "Haru, what do you think?"

"Thanks Rei, this is beautiful." And for the first time since he got here, he sees Haru smile - it's a small one, but it warms him up and bit and at the same time irritates him off a hell lot.

Glacing over, the geeky technician was flushed red from the neck up. "Ahhhh Rei-chan's blushing! That's because Haru-chan called your work beautiful, isn't it? That's a shame, because the beautiful one is Rei-chan, not his work!"

He's done. He need to find a wall to punch. Now. But Gou comes in, and telling them all to go back to training because she'd just received their first order, so they'd better start getting their junk together.

They don't, despite Ryuzaki's specially designed equipment. Their performance was still shit. A few days later, he can't shake the feeling of dread as Gou sends them off on their first mission to infiltrate an unknown underwater base that'd been found off the coast of Hawaii.

* * *

**Next** **Chapter:**

bloop

* * *

_Author's Note:_

I'm going to be honest and say that I kind of gave up for the last part because I'm too tired. I don't know if there's going to be a next chapter, or at least until the next long weekend because school is terrible when you decide to make half of your courses AP courses. I'm also thinking or re-writing it, because to be frank, I don't feel as if this came out the way I wanted it to. Tell me what you think?

Anyways, thanks for Shara Raizel, hitomi65, Chinkonka, brojaxeh, Noitalapsi (you're review just made me feel so fuzzy inside, thank you), ashira23, PheonixShadow and celestialstarynight for the lovely reviews!


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